Latest Reader Qs (September 11, 2017)

I’m a big fan of your site and have been following you here and on the Tom Woods Show. You’re doing great work and I value your opinion immensely. I’m in the market for a new car, looking to purchase something in the next 6 months or so. I’m uncertain about what’s worth it these days. I’m coming from a 2009 BMW 535i that I bought used and have owned outright the last 5 years. It has 126k miles on it and I commute about 40 miles a day round trip for work. The BMW has been a money hole as far as maintenance and fuel costs, and I regret the purchase for that reason. But it is fun to drive and I enjoy the amenities like the highly adjustable seats.

In a new car, I was hoping to go electric to avoid maintenance costs and also eliminate the monthly cost of gas. I’ve heard Teslas have almost no maintenance costs. I spend about $1,500 a year in gas, too, which -combined with toll costs – really hurts. I was hoping the Model 3 would be more available, but it looks like I wouldn’t be able to get my hands on one until 2019 at the earliest and that’s a bit too far out. So it looks like I will probably have to stick with gas-powered.

To that end, I would like your opinion on what is the best option out there for a sedan. I’m looking for something a bit sporty, low maintenance costs (so probably no turbos), low fuel cost (hopefully avoid premium grade), affordable sticker price, nice styling, adjustable seats… I read your write-up on the Genesis G80 and it sounds awesome and checks all the boxes, but unfortunately doesn’t fit in my monthly budget. A Volkswagen diesel pre-“scandal” would have probably been great, too. I’m wondering if Subaru is worth looking at…

My reply:

I’d personally avoid an electric car, for the following reasons:

Much higher buy-in cost vs. an equivalent gas-engined vehicle. This negates any savings on fuel and maintenance. Also bear in mind that while an electric car doesn’t require oil/filter changes, as an IC-engined car does, it will eventually require a battery replacement – and that can be extremely expensive. The EV math is simply not favorable for most people, particularly if we are talking about higher-end models like the Tesla.

The other issue with electric cars is not the range – which has improved – it’s the lengthy recharge times. Even if you have access to a “fast” charger, it still takes 30-45 minutes to recover 80 percent charge. A non-electric car can be refueled to 100 percent in less than 5 minutes. While it’s true you can recharge an EV overnight in the garage or while you work, if you are on the road, you will have to “pit” more often – and wait longer.

On non-electric alternatives to your current BMW 5:

I am a big fan of the Lexus ES350, for several reasons. It is superbly comfortable, first of all. Second, it comes with a non-turbocharged (and extremely reliable) V6 that has enough power to get the car to 60 in about 6 seconds. Third, this car is roomier than others at its price point (shared platform with the also-excellent and very roomy Toyota Avalon).

The chief downside – if it is one – is that the ES350 is front-wheel-drive. A rear-drive sport sedan will be better balanced and corner more adroitly – but this will only be apparent during very high-speed driving. Thus it may not be an issue for you. And the FWD layout is superior in snow, obviously, vs. the RWD layout.

If you prefer a rear-drive layout (and would like AWD) another really good option is the Infiniti G sedan. Very comparable, in terms of handling/performance to the BMW 5 and in some respects, superior. It’s under-rated and under-appreciated.

PS: EPautos stickers are free to those who send in $20 or more to support the site. Also, the eBook – free! – is available. Click here. Just enter you email in the box on the top of the main page and we’ll send you a copy ASAP.

1 COMMENT

I concur with Eric on his recommended considerations. It’s not clear what your budget is, but you’d do yourself a great favor to take a look at the Mazda 6 sedan. It’s very stylish, gets great gas mileage, and is pretty luxurious for its class. Plus, it’s a pretty good value for the segment. Mazdas tend to be pretty reliable, on the whole, as well. Having been in a more recent BMW 5-series as a loaner for a week, you’ll find 90% of the luxury of the BMW in the Mazda for far, far less money, and it’ll be more fun to drive (though not necessarily faster in a straight line). Maintenance should be cheap, and normal wear items (tires, belts, etc.) will be simple and inexpensive to replace, relatively speaking. Think $60 or so for a routine service vs. $400-$600 for the BMW.

As for electric cars, I’d avoid Tesla if at all possible. In addition to Eric’s comments, I’ll also point out that Tesla has a pretty bad track record in reliability. It’s so bad, in fact, that even the left-wing Consumer Reports, who are otherwise insanely bonkers over the Model S, was forced to drop it from their recommended list b/c they got so many complaints from actual consumers who bought the things. If you don’t live very close to a Tesla service and repair center, or if you plan to keep this next vehicle more than 4 years or 50,000 miles (the warranty period), then you’re better off getting something else.

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Eric started out writing about cars for mainstream media outlets such as The Washington Times, Detroit News and Free Press, Investors Business Daily, The American Spectator, National Review, The Chicago Tribune and Wall Street Journal.